Relations and Realisations
by fdggf
Summary: Some Jellicles are struggling on the uphill toil that is adulthood- whilst others are spiralling down a slippery slope to trouble. It's been three months since the Jelliclle Ball and soon- no one will be the same. Sort of a soap opera in jellicle form :P
1. Chapter 1

_The purpose of relationship  
is not to have another who might complete you,  
but to have another with whom  
you might share your completeness.  
Neale Donald Walsch _

* * *

Immediately, Alonzo could see something was wrong with his friend Admetus. The _moment _he slumped next him and Coricopat on the car- where the three toms often liked to sun themselves. Coricopat had opened up quite a bit over and after the dramatic events at the latest Jellicle ball and Alonzo was finding him to be quite a likeable tom, three months on. And from the look on Coricopat's curious face, he could tell something was wrong with Admetus, too. The brown tom's eyes were distant as he mumbled his hellos, like something else was completely on his mind. His creamy ears and tail drooped and he sat quite miserably next to them- not even basking in the sun, a rarity in this place, as Coricopat did, splayed back against the top of the car.

A few moments of silence passed, and another curious glance passed between Alonzo and Coricopat. Coricopat was the first to ask however. He was always eager to help his new friends- so that they might stay- his friends.

"What's the matter?" he said, leaning towards the tom and propping himself up on his lithe, black arms.

"Nothin," Admetus shrugged and smiled, "just feelin a bit tired, how're you?"

"Fine." Coricopat replied, slightly thrown off by his friend's nonchalant reply. "Fine. Thank you."

"Good."

More silence and _another _intrigued glance- though Coricopat's was more confused. Alonzo put his paw on Admetus' shoulder.

"Cheer up then, kit," he smiled, reassuringly at Coricopat who nodded in agreement. "it might never happen."

Admetus frowned.

"You're right." He said, bluntly. "It probably won't."

"So it's a queen then," Alonzo smiled, slyly. Admetus blushed, his ears twitching.

"Sure. But that's all you're getting out of me."

"A queen in question," said Coricopat, lightly, almost as if he could read Admetus' mind, "who you think you cannot have." The mystical cat smiled at Admetus' startled face and the way he avoided the tom's eyes. He knew he was right.

"Right!" Alonzo began, quickly resuming his happy-go-lucky self in an instant, "who is she?"

"I'm not going to tell you."

Coricopat leaned in closer, in quiet interest.

"What?" said Alonzo in an affronted manner, "why not?"

"Because you'll just take the piss- or tell her- or meddle. No _don't _try and tell me different, it's what happened with Plato and Victoria."

"And _look _what happened to Plato and Victoria!" Alonzo put in helpfully, his grey-blue eyes searching around for the beautiful white queen and her beau. "There! Look! Happy as can be- and all because of me."

"I don't think your flirting with her at the ball helped much to be honest," Admetus replied, scornfully, "in fact that just made her blank Jemima for a week straight, so there you are."

"Is it Jemima?"

"No!"

"It is, isn't it."

"No it's not," Admetus shook his head, distastefully, "stop being so obnoxious. You're acting like a… like a kitten."

The brown cat froze and looked over at Coricopat who didn't miss much and indeed _hadn't _missed the youngest tom's hesitation.

"So it's a kitten." Coricopat mused, aloud, whilst a mischievous twinkle began to gleam in Alonzo's eyes. "Clue one."

He didn't mean to tease Admetus, so- but it was nice to have a laugh once in a while. This Coricopat had only really just realised and so he participated in Alonzo or Admetus' teasing wherever possible, often hitting closer to the truth than most realised.

"How'd you-" Admetus' ears drooped and he adopted that startled expression he often wore when talking to Coricopat, who seemed to somehow know everything about everyone, even if the other persons didn't know it either.

"Oh wow," Alonzo said whilst a slow grin spread across his features. "You like a _kitten_."

"You hang out with kittens," was Admetus', cool, retort, "did Tumblebrutus and Pouncival ditch you for hide and go seek today?"

"Tumblebrutus and Mistofolees aren't kits anymore," Alonzo replied, brushing off his friend's attempt to insult and therefore distract him. "Now talk."

"The greater the obstacle, the more glory in overcoming it," said Coricopat suddenly, "you said you thought it wouldn't happen. It might."

"Lay off those fortune cookies, Corico," Alonzo laughed, playfully though secretly, Admetus felt comforted by the tom's wise words. Coricopat didn't _need _to know her name. He wished Admetus luck all the same.

Squeals reverberated through Jellicle Yard as a sleek, lithe tom paraded through the centre. His ran his hands through his thick luscious mane and merely smirked as Etcetera, a small cream kitten with dark brown stripes squealed happily and tumbled around him with Jemima and Electra. Now Victoria had a mate, the fan club was minus one member. Seeing as Tumblebrutus and Mistofolees still hung on, starry-eyed to The Rum Tum Tugger's every word and action, they were yet to leave its ranks. However the snowy queen watched him still with her vivid, blue eyes. No, longer a kitten, she hadn't felt like a kitten for a very long time, if she was honest; she watched Tugger with quiet desire instead of the loud and kittenish adoration she had once harboured for him. Perhaps the Tugger fan club hadn't lost any admirers at all.

"Look at 'em," Alonzo grinned, and patted the shoulder of a disheartened Admetus. "Not a _hope _in heavyside, Addy. Not a _hope_."

"Thanks."

"Tugger!" Alonzo gestured to the gorgeous tom and swaggered over. The two toms greeted each other like good friends and Alonzo spared a quick wink at Jemima who blushed, delightedly. She was at that stage where innocence began to fade and a queen realised just how good it felt to have a tom pay attention to her- so if Alonzo wanted to pay attention to her then… well let him!

Admetus and Coricopat looked at each other, and shook their heads.

_Alonzo_.

"He should stop meddling in other peoples relationships… or _lack _thereof," said Admetus, combing his whiskers, "and start sorting out his _own_."

Coricopat, who rarely talked much and preferred to simply listen, raised an eyebrow as if to say: go on?

"Cassandra. He'll tell you probably." Admetus shrugged and Coricopat nodded in understanding, "Alonzo can't ever keep his mouth shut, unless it's his _own _business. But you could squeeze blood out of a stone, I think, so you're bound to wriggle it out of him. By the way… where's Tantomile today?"

"Tanto?" he replied, looking confused. "I don't know… perhaps with Mistofolees, I'm trying to learn to spend more time apart from her. But… I don't know," Coricopat felt his the corner of his lips crease into a frown quite of their own accord. "It feels like the less time we spend together the more the connection… our link… seems to weaken."

Admetus cocked his head and then took Alonzo's deserted seat. The cocky, black and white tom had swanned away with Tugger- perhaps to go mousing or just to bask in the attention they always received- Tugger fan club or no.

"You know- everyone was always a little bit scared to go near you and Tantomile."

"Really?"

"Well, it just felt like, no one was on you and hers' level." Admetus shrugged. "so I'm glad you're opening up to us now. I'm… glad to have you as a friend I guess."

Toms rarely showed much affection to each other so Coricopat made sure to brush off the compliment with an easy, nonchalant smile and a nod.

"Thanks."

Admetus nodded again, awkwardly, and muttered a goodbye- leaving Coricopat to his thoughts.

He sighed- Alonzo had seemed to be the only happy one of the unlikely trio, the three of them had struck up. Yes, he did not deny the fact he felt, strangely unhappy.

"_Maybe I'm lonely."_ He contemplated, feeling that dull ache in the pit of his chest that silently agreed. And now Tantomile was beginning to grasp a hold of her own life…

Maybe he was.

* * *

_Oh heavyside_… Victoria blushed and turned away from the brilliant tom that danced in the middle of the Junkyard, exciting the kittens around him to an almost unbearable level of screaming and noise. Victoria wrinkled her nose. She couldn't believe one of those kittens used to be _her_. Running after that… _arrogant_, no-good…_gorgeous _tom.

It was no good! Despite what Jennyanydots and Demeter said as they tutted and shook their heads at The Rum Tum Tugger's latest escapades, Victoria could see no fault in the cats cool, nonchalant manner. She bit her lip, becoming all too well of the playboy's smouldering, brown-eyed gaze and the possessive arm that tightened around her tiny waist.

"You think he'd have the decency to lay off you for just a _little while_ after the ball." Plato growled, his wary eyes fixed on Tugger. Sure, he had been one of the many toms who wanted to _be _the guy but now he had Victoria and the Maine Coon couldn't help but notice that little Victoria, wasn't a kitten anymore, either. Sometimes it was too much for Plato.

He _loved _Victoria. The Rum Tum Tugger didn't seem to respect that.

Then again, besides Old Deuteronomy, who or what _did _The Rum Tum Tugger, respect?

"Don't make a scene, Plato," Victoria replied, softly, resting her head lightly on his chest and nuzzling him, "I'm with you aren't I?"

"You are." Plato agreed, smugly and kissed the top of her head.

But what Victoria would _give_ to run her hands through that thick, mane and down Tugger's leopard spot chest. To snag her fingers in his silver belt and pull him close to her, like she had seen Bombalurina do many times. She licked her lips and sneaked another glance at him. His attention had turned to Alonzo who was striding towards him. They clapped each other on the back and disappeared, the Rum Tum Tugger fan club in tow.

With Tugger gone, her attention turned back to her mate. It was a sunny day in the Junkyard so most cats just sprawled themselves across different parts of the junkyard and basked in the suns golden rays. Victoria and Plato, however, took shelter under the shade of two over-hanging motorcycles. She gazed at Plato, who stared back at her, curiously.

_"Soon I will be expected to be holding your kittens_," she thought to him.

"_Soon, I will have your kittens… and there will be no escape."_

"What are you thinking?" Plato asked her, a little smile lighting his handsome features.

"I wasn't." Victoria smiled back, wistfully, and laid her head upon his chest once more.

* * *

_'There was nothing out of the ordinary when I step out onto the pavement and look about cautiously. Rage is pumping through my veins- oozing from every pore of my body. _

_I'm not going back there. I'm never going back to the Junkyard as long as I live. _

_They just don't understand him the way I do. _

Midnight. The moon shone dimly on her body, bathing her black and gold fur in silver light. Demeter shivers and pads down the street, alertly. She flinches and skitters forwards, hearing a dog bark, loudly, in the distance.

She purses her lips and stiffens- face set in determination. A few moments later she shoulders on.

_There's nothing out of the ordinary tonight. I told you._

_Just I shouldn't nearly be out, nearly this late._

_I'm not scared though. I don't get scared easily, me. I'm just… cautious._

She was worried, though. Pollicle's were not the friendliest of creatures when you ran into them in the dead of night. And Macavity had sent her no protection.

She falters. If Macavity loved her, then why did he not come for her? Why did he leave her to make her own, defenceless way to him? A lot less people would pick on the Napoleon of Crime than they would on a young queen like her, _barely _out of kittenhood.

Then- she catches sight of a tom at the end of the alleyway. The moonlight lights up his dusty, orange fur and a lump form in her throat.

_He was worried! _She cries inwardly, heart leaping. _He has come for me!_

A deadly mixture of fear and excitement exploded in her skull and rushed all the way down to her legs as his amber eyes locked on hers and he glides towards her, sleekly.

He oozes charm.

Not the arrogant kind that Rum Tum Tugger does. The quiet, reassuring kind that Demeter has just fallen in _love _with.

She is rooted to the spot as he walks towards her, confidently, tail swishing erratically behind him. Pearly white fangs flash a grin and she smiled back up at him, meekly.

He's dark and menacing- yet so soft… and tender at the same time.

A quick, passionate kiss leaves her weak- and Macavity begins to lead her off the beaten path and further from Jellicle territory than she had ever been before.

_WAKE UP! Demeter! WAKE UP! You know it gets bad! You-'_

"Demeter!"

Demeter screamed and sat up, breathing shakily.

It was all a dream. Well- a memory. And she was safe in her den with Munkustrap. Its purple cushions and the ragged pink curtain that served as a barrier between their own private world and the Junkyard confirmed this information to her.

That was close. Munkustrap had woken her up just in time. She turned to him, tears of gratitude filling her eyes. His strong, tabby arms encircled her, gently and she hears him laugh, fondly.

"I woke you up to keep you from crying, my pet," he whispers, "dry your eyes."

She forced a laugh smiled, happily, wiping away her tears.

"Thank you."

"Shall I fetch Bombalurina?" Munkustrap inquired, nervously.

"No." Demeter smiled, sadly. "I have to learn how to deal with it on my own."

She settled on the cushions next to Munkustrap once more and smiled, gratefully. He leaned forward and captured her lips in a soft, sincere kiss.

"He'll never hurt you again." Said the silver tom, stroking her slightly damp cheek.

"I know." Demeter nodded and closed her eyes.

She knew Macavity couldn't possibly hurt her again- when she was still hurting from the first time.

Alonzo and Munkustrap had been lucky the last time. But what if Macavity struck again?

Demeter would never rest, with the knowledge in her mind that Macavity was always there- and yet always never to be seen, just as the song she had sung the last Jellicle ball had proclaimed.

Only time could tell if her wounds would heal. And she could love Munkustrap, the way he deserved to be loved.

* * *

_**Pairings so far:**_

**_DemeterMunkustrap_**

**_AdmetusMysteryQueen_**

**_AlonzoCassandra_**

**_PlatoVictoria_**

**They'll change- and there will be more, in other chapters. Does anyone have a paticular pairing they'd like to see? Reviews are greatly appreciated :)**

**Thank you for reading- CheddarPixie**


	2. Chapter 2

**BroadwayKhaos: ****There is a tiny bit of Tumble/Jemima but, it's kinda one-sided. **

******Malurina: ****Thank you :) Macavity is quite important it later chapters ;O**

* * *

"_You silly girl!" _The elderly queen thought to herself, with rapidly growing concern. "_Oh no, no, no! Damn you Rum Tum Tugger!"_

In her eyes- trouble was just on the horizon. Jennyanydots watched Victoria watch the infamous Rum Tum Tugger, her sewing quite abandoned in her little, white lap. In the 'golden days' all the queens would get together, just after the afternoon nap (one of many traditions in the junkyard), and just gossip and sew. All that had stopped when Bombalurina had grown up and it was seen she much preferred to sit with the toms, and then, Demeter had grown up and it was found she hated gossip and could not sew at all. So in short, Jennyanydots was glad Victoria had decided to restart the tradition, always being a homely, housewife, kind of queen, and sit with them and sew- but now she was beginning to doubt the idea.

Victoria watched The Rum Tum Tugger with a fierce, worrying heat in her dim, blue eyes, and two spots of coral pink were high upon her cheekbones. The Maine coon winked in the white queen's direction and she looked away, cheeks flaming furiously. Moments later, licking her lips, she looked up, shyly, and began to watch him once more.

This isn't good. Jennyanydots shook her head, sternly. It wouldn't end well... for anyone. For Bombalurina, Victoria _or _for her, darling, Plato. Unless, of course, young Victoria's interest in the no-good tom was, swiftly and surely, cut short- something Jennyanydots personally thought, should have been done a long time ago before all the kittens could fall madly in love with him and stunt their chances of living, perfectly respectable lives.

A rose would never bloom unless pruned properly, she told herself, and there's no time like the present, now, is there. Jenny sat her sewing down and said in a cunning, loud voice. One that commanded others listened to it, "I heard The Rum Tum Tugger, frequents Sealegs these days, by the docks. _Growltiger, _once owned that terrible place, you know."

Victoria looked over briefly and then down at her pale, pink sewing. She placed her hands, neatly on top of it and sighed.

"Not any place a respectable tom should be, don't you agree, my dear Jellylorum," Jenny added lightly and glanced at her, aging, silvery companion.

"Oh no, Jenny," the elder queen replied shaking her head, "it's a place for the likes of Mungojerrie!" Jenny added a small noise of agreement. "And think! With Cettie following that _silly _tom everywhere." The two of them tutted and shook their heads, disapprovingly, as old queens often did. But Victoria, to Jenny's dismay, hadn't even spared them a second glance. The gumbie cat's lips compressed into a tight thin line. She nudged Jellylorum and discretely motioned to Victoria and then at Tugger who, always after the daily nap, was seen with Alonzo on the old TSE 1 car. Tugger sent Victoria a seductive smile her way as Alonzo clapped him on the back and ruffled his main, affectionately. They resumed their lazy play fighting once more- the age-old game young toms liked to play to show off their masculinity. But every now and then Tugger would look up at Victoria, who was the only queen besides Jennyanydots and Jellylorum, and smile or wink, or show off.

Jellylorum frowned and exchanged a dark look with Jennyanydots, "I'll fix him myself if he lays so much as one dirty paw on her," she hissed and Jennyanydots nodded in urgent agreement. _She wasn't just imagining things!_

"I say, Victoria," Jenny called to the ethereal queen, who turned, curiously, at her name: "what would _you _do it, your kittens were subject to The Rum Tum Tugger and his... antics... hmm?"

Victoria blushed, furiously, her gaze locked with Jenny's, "M-my kittens?"

"Why, yes! Three months on since the ball, my dear, you _have _discussed the subject with, dear Plato... haven't you?"

Victoria looked lost for words, one paw on her chest- as if to still her rapidly, beating heart. _"K-kittens?"_

_"Pull yourself together, kitten," _Jennyanydots wanted to say to her, "_Jellylorum has brought you up better than this._"

"Took me n Gus, six whole months o' tryin afore I had Victoria an her brother George."

"Mother!" Victoria wrinkled her nose in distaste.

"Well it's true!" declared Jellylorum, hotly. "You're growing up now, miss! tis a thing of nature, so it is." Jennyanydots agreed, wholeheartedly having raised four litters of her own and a whole junkyard of stray mice and kittens.

Victoria took a moment to compose herself quickly before answering with, "I haven't yet broached the subject with Plato yet, Aunt Jenny."

"Motherhood is a fine thing, Vicki," sighed Jellylorum, looking in the distance as she remembered the two beautiful kittens that had survived that harsh winter. Victoria and George. George was a respectable cat who had taken up at the fire station, now- most unusual for a cat and he rarely dropped in these days. Jellylorum told herself it was because he was busy at the fire station and not because of...

Never mind. It was forbidden to talk of the events anyway. "_You see my child"_, Jellylorum wanted to say to Victoria- "_this world you know is like a vast, frozen pond_. _Underneath the thick and, mostly, unstable ice, lay stagnant waters_... _And messing with that infernal, Rum Tum Tugger would only reopen wounds, that are just starting to heal." _Jellylorum looked at the apple of her eye- her eldest child- imploringly. _"So be smart." _

She snapped out of her reverie to find Victoria staring out, at the spot where The Rum Tum Tugger had been, wistfully.

Hastily, Jellylorum got to her feet and sprang over to her daughter. Victoria turned in confusion as Jelly clasped her hands, affectionately and nuzzled her.

"Come on, pet, lets go to the theatre-house and pick up your father shall we?"

"Err..."

"Wonderful- pass me your sewing the, my child- you've turned into quite the little queen, my dear," Jellylorum smiled, delightfully, "Plato is very luck, is he not, Jenny?"

"He is, indeed." Jennyanydots agreed, weakly. Gus the theatre cat sure knew how to pick'em.

* * *

He glanced left and then right. He blinked slowly and pressed himself under the plastic chair that had been welded to the ground- a perfect hiding place for his crime. Another surreptitious glance, sideways and a blink of the slow, human's eyes and Mungojerrie sprung from his hiding place. He darted atop of the table and grabbed what he could- three rashers of bacon in his mouth was all he could manage and he sprinted from the café before the man had even time to declare "There's a cat in my sarnie, missus!"

He turned down Keates street and raced along the pavement, dodging human's legs with practiced ease, till he came to an alleyway he was _sure _he wouldn't be disturbed on. He was close to the junkyard now and he half contemplated inviting Tugger along to Sealegs- he could give an update to Val then and... Mungojerrie blushed, even though no one was there to see- he could just... well see Val! He wolfed half of the bacon down, hungrily and decided against going to Sealegs that night and just returning to the Junkyard. Rumpleteaser would be grateful for a share in the bacon anyway.

Mungojerrie was often seen as a clown, but in truth he had many faces that he wore on different days. Around the Junkyard and the warmth of his friends and companions he was jovial and indeed the clown he portrayed himself to be. Out on the streets and alleys, he was a tough, mean-looking tom to ward away enemies and old friends he wanted nothing to do with anymore.

And then at Sealegs all masks were gone- and he could reveal the broken tom he felt like inside. The one that was always looking over his shoulder with the sense that, inevitably... eventually... his past was going to catch up with him.

"_This bacons going to get cold_" he told himself and picked it up, walking quickly so as to get to the junkyard before the sunset. He saw two queens, one young, one old, striding down the alley. He recognised them to be Victoria, the snowy, white one who was mated to... Plato, wasn't it? and Jellylorum. He wrinkled his nose- Jellylorum had never liked him and had never really made him feel welcome at the Junkyard. But Jennyanydots was nice enough provided he didn't drop his 'h's too much and remembered his 'p's and q's'.

"Nice night for it," he said, with his rough cockney, voice and grinned, complacently, nodding as they passed.

"Is it?" Jellylorum replied, haughtily and brushed past him, throwing her nose in the air.

"Yeah it is," he continued, seemingly oblivious, "_You old hag," _and smiled at Victoria who nodded and smiled, politely back, "for walkin' and the like."

Victoria giggled and smiled again at him, "have a good evening, Mungojerrie,"

"You too, sweetheart," he replied, "You, ain't, seen Tugger I suppose?"

"No we haven't!" Jellylorum replied and walked back so she could pull Victoria along, "now off with you."

The two queens disappeared around the corner with a last sympathetic look from Victoria.

Mungojerrie sniffed, "suit yourself then."

* * *

"Oh! What happened?" Jemima giggled as she and Electra leaned in closer with bright-eyed, interest. They huddled together in the second, clearing in the junkyard, that led to the entrance and the TSE 1 car through a concrete pipe. From this second clearing, a playground of sorts, there were all sorts of routes that could be taken to all _sorts _of places in the Junkyard. They were quite cosy in the three-legged bathtub they snuggled together in, having peeled off the cushions from a discarded sofa and laying them in the bottom.

"Maybe I don't want to tell you," Etcetera teased and smiled- she _adored _being the centre of attention, "Maybe I don't even know what you're talking about!"

"Pouncival," said Electra, dogmatically and the corner of her mouth twitched as Etcetera turned a delighted, pink.

"Pouncival?" Etcetera gave a high-pitched giggle, "what about him?"

"Well, what happened?"

"Yes, what happened?" Jemima piped up and smiled, reassuringly,

"Did you kiss?" Electra asked, bluntly.

Etcetera froze.

"Sorry…" the russet-coloured kitten gave her an apologetic look, "I got carried away."

"We did."

"What?" Electra shrieked and the three queen-kits burst into fresh giggles.

"Only a little kiss!" She defended herself, "Jelly was around the corner and he didn't want to get caught!"

"Isn't it a bit weird?" said Electra, "what with you living with him and all,"

"Well it's not as if we're brother and sister- everyone knows I was a stray." Etcetera shrugged like she didn't care, but Jemima could see she was getting uncomfortable under Electra's excessive questioning.

"On the lips? I thought you wanted Tugger as your first kiss!"

"He was."

Electra started to giggle even harder, but was swiftly quietened with a pillow, thumped across her face.

Now it was Etcetera's turn to laugh.

"Hello, Pounce," a deep voice came from behind them and they froze, "what do we have here?"

"I don't know, Brutus," came another, not so deep voice- after all Pouncival was yet to come of age, but Tumblebrutus had grown up three whole _months _ago, "it looks like three, _smelly_, queens to me."

"Hey Pouncival," Electra smiled, smugly, her eyes gleaming, "I _know._"

"W-what?" Pouncival was quite tall and lanky for a tom his age, with brown, white and grey fur and a dusting of freckles across his face. He lost all bravado and glared, childishly at Etcetera, "you said you wouldn't tell anyone!"

"Nuh-uh!" Etcetera squealed, "Pounce she don't know nothing!"

"Well obviously she does!" he yelled back, "you told!"

"Did not!"

"Did too!"

"I did not"

"Well thanks!"

"Well thank you back!" The two of them stared at each other and then suddenly looked away, Etcetera turning a dark pink.

Tumblebrutus rolled his eyes and helped Jemima out of the bathtub, they hugged, as good friends did and watched as Pouncival hopped into Jemima's place. It was fun to watch Pouncival and Etcetera try and make it like they hated each other, when everyone, and really _everyone, _knew they had kissed just last week. Well, everyone important did, anyway.

"Why are you two here, anyway," said Electra, "did you get bored of stalking Bombalurina?"

"Could ask you the same thing," was Pouncival's clipped, reply, "Did Tugger somehow manage to ditch the three of you?"

"We were just talking." Etcetera replied with a carefully, uncaring shrug.

"About things, you promised me you wouldn't talk about," said Pouncival, with a reproachful glance in her direction.

"I didn't!"

"Admit it!"

There was a clattering sound above their heads and they watched as a calico tom, slid down the side of a particularly big pile of junk. Mungojerrie never used the concrete pipe- he much preferred to climb.

"Tumble," he nodded at the brown and white-patched tom and then at the rest of them. His eyes rested for a few moments on Jemima and then on Pouncival. A little grin spread across his face.

"Any of yous seen, Teaser?" He placed his latest steal on the ground between his feet and sat down.

"She went home ages ago," said Jemima and smiled, politely. Mungojerrie held her gaze a few moments before turning back to Pouncival.

"So you and 'er, eh?" he said nodding at Etcetera who was twiddling her thumbs and not looking up, "did you…" he winked and began to laugh, coarsely.

"How does _he _know?" Pouncival shouted at Etcetera who came back with a horrified, "he doesn't! Do you Mungojerrie!"

"I ain't sayin' nothin', sweet."

"Seriously!" Pouncival shook his head and got up, "I'm going, later."

"Pounce, wait up!" Etcetera sprinted after him, "I didn't tell anyone, I swear on my life!"

Mungojerrie picked up his bacon, bowed low to the three remaining cats and made his way to his and Rumpleteaser's den- their hideout when things didn't go down too well at Victoria Grove.

"It's getting late," said Electra, "I'm going home. Are you coming, Tumble?"

Electra was the youngest of Jennyanydots' brood and therefore had a strict time to be home, by. Tumblebrutus on the other hand, being an adult now and always having been a stray, had to answer no one and often walked the three girls home when he could.

"I was hoping to talk to Jemima, lec, if that's okay…" said Tumblebrutus, looking directly at the floor.

"That's okay." Electra shrugged and nimbly jumped out of the broken bathtub and through the concrete pipe where Jennyanydots' den was located- being that she was far too large to fit through the pipes or to climb over the junk as Mungojerrie did.

* * *

"So, what did you want to talk about?"

"Hm?" Tumblebrutus blushed and his ears twitched, "nothin' really. I just wanted to catch up on old times."

The two of them sat down on the dusty, junkyard floor and cast a morose glance at the once best-loved toy in the junkyard. A dejected-looking yellow ball that had gathered much dust over the past month and had been discarded by a sad, young Pouncival who had declared, "we're too old for these games, now!"

"I can't believe we're all growing up," said Jemima, "the Jellicle Ball feels like it was yesterday."

"Yeah…" Tumblebrutus agreed in his deep, quiet voice, "It does, doesn't it."

"You sung, beautiful that night." He added, with a shy glance in her direction.

She blushed and smiled back, "thank you!"

"And you were pretty fun to dance with too, I _suppose_," Tumblebrutus sighed as if complimenting her so was a chore, "C'mon. I'm taking you home."

"That wasn't very much catching up, at all," she teased and accepted the paw he offered to help her up, "thanks."

When he didn't let go and she noticed the mischief in his eyes, the grin smile faded from her face and she took three steps back, "Tumblebrutus…"

"Jemima." He smirked back and took three large steps forwards, "you know there is still one game I like to play."

"No!" She squealed, a nervous giggle ripping through her, "we're not playing-"

"Princess." Said Tumblebrutus, quite solemnly. He let go of her hand and she tried to run but seconds later he had lunged for her.

"Ah! I caught one!" He yelled and lifted her up behind his head, with one arm wrapped around both of hers and the other around a leg. She screamed and laughed, tail swishing erratically, "Tumblebrutus put me _down!_"

He swung left- and then right, with exaggerating the look of confusion on his face.

"Where did Jemima go?" he said, sounding crestfallen. Jemima's high-pitched giggles were appropriately ignored, "I got a princess- I want to show her!"

"Sorry, _who _grew up last Jellicle ball?" Jemima snapped, but she was smiling all the same.

"Oh, princess, didn't you know?" Tumblebrutus said as he began to walk aimlessly, swinging his captive this way and that, "I did. And Victoria- and Mistofolees."

"You left out Plato."

"No, Plato grew up the year before," he said, "honestly, are princesses meant to be this ignorant? Perhaps Jemima will enlighten you… when I find her."

"Tumble, I _need _to get home." Jemima sighed, going lax in his grip. There was no use struggling, after all. How many times had this happened? And how many times had she fallen for it? Honestly, she thought she would have learned by now.

"That's a great idea! We'll check Jemima's home!" Tumblebrutus jumped on the spot for a moment, making Jemima squeal and cling to his arm.

"Tumble!"

She screamed as he tore up a hill of junk and then skidded down it and begged an amused Bombalurina who was waiting for her Tugger, to help her.

"I don't suppose you've seen Jemima, have you?" Tumblebrutus asked the scarlet queen, bowing low, "I can't find her _anywhere_."

"I'm going to get you, Tumblebrutus," Jemima sighed, exasperatedly, though her face was beginning to ache from smiling so much.

"She's behind you," Bombalurina winked and smiled as Tumblebrutus spun around on the spot.

"Is she?" the patched tom asked. "I can't see her."

And so they continued through the junkyard, with Tumblebrutus spinning or jumping whenever he felt the journey was going to smoothly.

"Tumblebrutus, I really do need to get home now." Jemima told him softly, almost sadly, as she was carried past Victoria's new den, Plato peeked out and nodded at them as they passed.

"Have you seen Victoria, at all?" He called out to them.

Tumblebrutus shook his head, "have you seen Jemima?"

The handsome tom shook his head, smirking, "I haven't."

"Me neither."

"Tumble _listen!"_

"Princess, you're meant to be helping me find Jemima."

"_What_ do you think you're _doing_ to my daughter?" A cold voice, hissed behind him and Jemima was (carefully) put down immediately.

"Just taking her home, Munkustrap, sir." Tumblebrutus replied, looking down at his feet.

"Does that require carrying her on your back?" The silver tom, growled, his fur fluffing up with silent contempt.

Tumblebrutus, always being a bit outspoken, was tempted to say that it did and that the old tom should loosen up a bit. Instead he bowed his head, "No sir," and fled.

Jemima watched Tumblebrutus go and then frowned at her father.

"We were just-"

"Go home, Jemima." Munkustrap asserted his authority by stiffening his shoulders and towering over her, "you're mother's waiting for you."

"Bu- yes… yes, sir," she replied, meekly and passed him with her head bowed.

Poor Tumble. Ever since the ball Munkustrap had been cold to him- purely because he had danced with her at the Jellicle Ball.

Did her father have to be so, over-protective?

* * *

**Review?**

**So there's some VictoriaTugger, BombaTugger (go figure) and PounceEtcterea tooooo.**


	3. Chapter 3

**I cant believe I've managed to write so many words. I swear I've never written SO much before. Is that strange? **

**BroadwayKhaos: Thanks :D yeah it's not one-sided... yet! Is what I really meant to write. I never really tried writing Jemima and Tumblebrutus together, but you suggested it and now I think about it and it's like... "awwhhh... suhweeeeett!" :P Unfortunately he and Jemima just aren't meant to be T_T**

**Teleryn: Thank you :) they would be adorable together, wouldn't they?**

**PlatoLuvr-08: I'm not sure at the moment... there COULD be. But it wouldn't be much, if you see what I mean. **

**Malurina: Thing is, you could slap The Rum Tum Tugger, but that would just make him want Victoria out of spite! I think it'd be a cool pairing if I hadn't made The Rum Tum Tugger out to be so mean and arrogant in this fiction :P And yeah, I always imagined Munkustrap as quite a stern character- but a little more relaxed at the ball and around Demeter. He just thinks he's doing whats best for Jemima really :P **

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Admetus smiled to himself as he watched her sit with her friends- her face lit up when she smiled and her dark eyes glittered with delight. She was just… well, pretty really. The epitome of it, in his eyes. He was absolutely, _besotted_, infatuated, in _love _with the damned queen. And she didn't know that, at all. But Admetus was quite fond of just watching- happy to say back and simply look at her. Coricopat wasn't so enthusiastic.

"When you're quite done, Admetus."

"Sorry what did you say," Admetus turned to him, a small smile still plastered, silly, upon his face, "gimme a minute, okay?"

"How can you, even hope to get her- when you do nothing but stare?" said Coricopat quietly. He was looking quite rough today- like he had stayed up all night. In fact he had stayed up all night, waiting for Tantomile to come home. She had been with Mr. Mistoffelees. Still, other than the weary look upon the sombre tom's face he seemed fine- if his pushiness about Admetus' secret love was anything to go by.

"Why are you always there, saying something smart?" Admetus shot back, not taking his eyes from the three queens. They sat in a close-knot, triangular shape, talking in earnest to each other- every few minutes one would laugh or look around the Junkyard.

"Habit." He replied, never saying more than he ought he should.

"Right…"

"Just talk to her. Whoever it is." The dark cat sighed and gazed over at the kittens, too, with his tired, black eyes.

"Coricopat, it's not that simple," Admetus sighed and shook his head.

"Isn't it?"

Admetus didn't reply.

Coricopat looked over at the three kittens again and tried to put himself in Admetus' position and guess whom he would pick.

There was Electra, who was quite well known, he'd heard, for her sharp tongue and wit. She wasn't as pretty as the others with her russet-coloured fur that stuck up in all sorts of directions, like she had more important things to do than groom it.

_"An intellect, I wonder." _He thought to himself, and glanced, sideways, at Admetus. "_Not much common-ground for her and Addy, then."_

Then he looked at Jemima who was beautiful with her deep, red satin coat and white chest. She had a fragile, doll-like face and Coricopat supposed she was quite desirable with her looks and beautiful singing-voice. He remembered the ball where she had held Tantomile's hand and Tantomile his and being able to see into her mind. All he could read was the song and the heartache she felt for Grizabella. Perhaps she was Admetus' choice?

And then there was Etcetera, who, if Coricopat was honest, seemed the most annoying out of the three. All three of them became unbearably annoying whenever The Rum Tum Tugger came around, but she was by far the worst. But she was pretty, and also the ringleader of the three it seemed, and sometimes good looks were enough for a tom.

But all three were attractive so, in truth, Coricopat had done little more than confuse himself.

"_If I could just get him over there."_ He thought to himself. "_I could observe his reactions and make a more educated guess._"

That plan was perfectly logical. But to put into practice would be a lot harder, for there was _no way _Coricopat was going over there. He just about held conversations with Alonzo and Admetus sometimes- in fact he sometimes even found it hard to talk to Tantomile aloud, and she often resorted to their telepathic link instead, to force him to speak. He was not a talkative cat.

"Just go and ask them if they've seen Alonzo- start a conversation…"

"Why don't you?" Admetus retorted, folding his arms, reproachfully.

Coricopat forced a laugh, "me? _Socialise? _Oh please."

"Well, why not? I'm not ever going to get a queen if all I do is stare- but you're not going to make any more friends if you just don't talk to anyone. Besides me and Alonzo, that is."

The black-and-blue tom was stumped for an answer and blushed. For once he didn't have a reply to Admetus' teasing. "That's not the point."

"Oh?" Admetus latched on to Coricopat's discomfort, "what was the point then?"

"That any day now, someone else could take an interest and take the queen you want right from under your nose."

"Not likely- they're all still _mad _over Tugger."

"They're growing up, Admetus. It's not just Tugger they're interested in anymore- pretty soon there's going to be some competition."

Suddenly it was Admetus' turn to look worried, "do you think?"

Coricopat nodded, seriously, "they're barely kittens anymore. I bumped into Skimbleshanks and Electra's already _had _her birthday. She's a fully-grown queen, technically but she has to wait till the ball until she's fully come of age."

"You had a conversation _outside _of me and Alonzo?" Admetus feigned shock- he had in fact attended Electra's birthday party, being a particular favourite of Jennyanydots.

"Oh be quiet," Coricopat laughed, quietly and the two exchanged friendly grins. Admetus was always glad when he could get Coricopat to come out a bit more. The tom was always so perplexed and distant and would rarely join in the conversation unless a sentence was directly aimed at him. They sat in silence for a minute or two- Coricopat seemingly daydreaming again. Admetus stared at him.

"So?"

No reply.

"_Coricopat." _The elder tom tensed and turned to him with a curious expression.

"Admetus?"

"Well?"

"…well what?"

"Go over there?"

"_Why?_" Coricopat snorted and shook his head, "it's not as if _I _have the secret crush."

"There's three perfectly good queens over there and I sincerely _hope _it _is _queens you're interested in."

"Well I'm definitely not interested in toms, if that's what you mean," was his indifferent reply.

Admetus sighed. "Look. What I'm trying to say here is. You've been looking after Tantomile for far too long- why don't you try and find a queen to mate with at this years ball?"

Coricopat didn't reply and tried to imagine himself dancing with a queen who wasn't Tantomile at the Jellicle Ball. He could dance of course- all Jellicle cats could, but he hated to dance in front of people, without the security of his sister. He couldn't imagine himself dancing the way Plato and Victoria had.

"Tantomile's probably gonna shack up with Mistoffelees by the end of this year. I'd bet my den and a week of dinners on it."

Coricopat started. "Do you really think so?"

"Tch. From what Mistoffelees has been saying to Alonzo, I _know _so. He's completely in love with her."

"But that's my sister." Coricopat frowned and an ugly, angry feeling began to build, slowly, in his stomach.

Admetus noticed the way his friend's fur began to rise and how his tail swished back and forth. He slapped Coricopat's shoulder. "Chill," he soothed, "it was gonna happen some day- and now it has, y'see? She's the same age as you- hell she should have had _kittens _by now."

"I don't want to live on my own." Said Coricopat. The short statement let Admetus know more about Coricopat than any other thing he had said to the tom before. Coricopat was entirely dependent on other cats, despite his inability to talk to them. Most cats that did not like to be alone, craved attention, but Coricopat was happy enough if other cats were just… there.

"So go over there and talk to one." Admetus encouraged with a sly grin. "You never know what might happen."

So Coricopat did something, he never would have dared doing before. In fact he could hardly believe it himself as he got up and began to walk across the junkyard to the three kittens. He'd only ever really interacted with Alonzo and Admetus, occasionally Cassandra, Munkustrap or Demeter- he was distant with strangers at best. He wished himself luck as he approached the three of them.

"Point being, I don't want my dance to look anything like, Victoria's because then it's like copying- but she used so much that _I_ wanted to!"

He was close enough to hear their conversation now and realised it was too late to go back, like the little voice in his head- who had been furiously hissing after him, had demanded. All three of the kittens were looking up at him, inquisitively.

"Can we… help you?" Said Electra, raising an eyebrow. Coricopat wondered if she was pouting or if her lips were naturally like that- overall she did not seem the happiest of cats.

"Erm… well, I was wondering if anyone had seen Alonzo," he lied, sounding a lot… a _lot _calmer than he felt. He hated speaking, especially to strangers, but if it meant he could further his plans for Admetus… "Admetus has been looking for him."

"Jemima might know," Etcetera smiled, slyly and Coricopat was struck by how beautiful the three kittens were in their own, unique ways and he could see why Admetus might like anyone of them, "after all she was pretty _close _with him at the ball."

"Pouncival." Jemima replied, quietly, inciting a scandalised look from Etcetera and a laugh from Electra, who turned to Coricopat at once.

"Coricopat, isn't it? Where's Tantomile?"

Jemima frowned and yet marvelled at how Electra was able to instantly get under someone's skin. The dark-furred tom had stiffened but managed to reply with, "we're moving apart, she has her friends now and I have mine."

He was quiet and stoic but this seemed to fire up her two friends' curiosity and they stared at him with much interest.

"Fair enough," Electra shrugged and cast another sly smile at Etcetera who was still upset with Jemima, "say, would you like to hear a secret?"

Coricopat smiled, nervously, and sat down in-between her and Jemima, "is it a secret worth telling?"

His hands went neatly in his lap and he sat quite properly- Jemima and Electra exchanged a look and giggled.

"No it's not!" Etcetera fumed.

"Come off it!" Electra scoffed, "its not as if the _entire _junkyard doesn't know already."

Jemima shook her head and said, "Electra it's not your secret to tell."

"It's not a secret!"

"I kissed Pouncival." Etcetera hissed, exasperatedly and glared at Electra who always broke off into giggles whenever it was said, "big deal."

"I thought your heart belonged to The Rum Tum Tugger?" he replied, ignoring Electra's almost-mocking laughter and focusing on Etcetera. He tried to dredge up other facts he knew about the kittens in passing knowing full well that he could not see into their minds without some concentration and a physical touch. He may have been brave enough to talk to them but he was brave for nothing more than that. A talk.

"It did." Etcetera replied, simply. "But he danced with Bombalurina one too many times."

"_I doubt you're kissing Pouncival is going to change that."_ Coricopat thought to himself but allowed her a small, polite smile, "well judging from your reaction, kissing Pouncival, is a good thing? Good luck."

Etcetera gave him an odd look. But then she smiled back. "Thank you… Coricopat?"

He nodded.

She smiled again, "I guess you know our names- the infamous Tugger fan club… or whatever."

"Etcetera," she positively glowed when he said her name and nodded, "Electra… and you are Jemima," he turned to the small, red queen and paused to think over the songs and the emotions he'd read in her mind. "I remember you from the ball… when you sung."

Jemima blushed and nodded, "it's nice to meet you, properly."

"And you."

"Would you like to sit with us for a bit?" Said Etcetera, suddenly; "you can call Admetus over if you want- it's nice to talk with new people, right?"

_"Step one complete." _Coricopat gave another tiny, smile and with much relief gestured for Admetus to come over- he could retreat now and Admetus could do all the talking.

Admetus shuffled over and sat in-between Electra and Etcetera, glancing at both of them shiftily as he sat down. He shot Coricopat a slightly nervous look and then glanced over at Etcetera as she went back to talking about the ball.

"I just don't want to copy Victoria… Boys do their own sort of dance too, don't they? What will Pouncival's be like, do you reckon?"

"It was all right, for Tumble and Quaxo," said Electra, "they did it at the same time, didn't they. I think all three of our dances have to go together somehow."

"That's not fair!" Etcetera declared, hotly, and crossed her arms, "that means Victoria even got her own dance. I want my own dance!"

"Admetus? What was your dance like?" Etcetera asked, fixing her wide, amber eyes on him. The shaggy, brown tom hesitated before he answered, looking uncomfortable.

Coricopat noted the attentive way he answered and the small smile he gave Etcetera. His whole body pointed in her direction and his eyes never left her face.

"It was me and Plato- don't worry, you'll get your own bit in the dance, I expect."

So far, Etcetera was the most likely.

"Coricopat, what was you're dance like? Did you and Tantomile dance at the same time, then?" Electra turned her curious eyes on him and he tensed at the sudden attention.

"Uh," he focused on what she said and sat up straight- but his eyes shifted, uncomfortably to the floor. "We were already of age when we sought sanctuary at the junkyard."

That was all he would say. Admetus rolled his eyes.

Electra shrugged and her and Etcetera began to talk about what songs would possibly be used for the next Jellicle ball, who was most likely to be elected for the Heavyside layer and if it would be as dramatic as the last. No one had expected Grizabella to go and then there had been Macavity…

Every now and then they'd ask Admetus a question and he'd shyly answer, growing more confident as time wore on. Coricopat was content to nod or smile from time to time instead though he was sure Admetus would bring it up later.

Jemima looked over at Coricopat who almost immediately felt her gaze on him. His dark, almost-black eyes locked with hers and she felt herself smile for no real reason, at all.

"You don't speak much do you?" she said in her soft little voice.

He shook his head and felt a small smile tug at his lips.

"That's okay," she replied and put a hand on his forearm, reassuringly, "neither do I."

Coricopat felt a dizzying urge to kiss her.

"_Talk to her," _Said a voice in his head, "_Then Addy won't call you up on not talking later."_

"Addddaayyyyy!"

A black and white tom leapt up behind Admetus and pulled him into a headlock- inciting surprised giggles from Electra and Etcetera and a yowl from the aforementioned tom. He pouted and began to smooth his head-fur as Alonzo let out a loud, joyous laugh. Electra shuffled closer to Coricopat to allow room for him, immediately. The three kittens were quite enjoying the attention they were receiving from toms this morning-, as it was usually only Tumblebrutus and Pouncival that seriously talked to them.

"Alonzo," Admetus' ears drooped as Alonzo sat next to him and shot a flirtatious smile in Etcetera's direction and pulled Electra into a one-armed hug.

"This is a nice cosy party, you five are having," said Alonzo with a seductive smile.

"Jemima," he nodded at the scarlet kitten and grinned. She didn't reply and merely looked down at the floor instead. Her hand left Coricopat's forearm and played with the concrete surface they sat on. Coricopat wondered if Admetus looked slightly put-off because Alonzo had separated him from Electra or because Etcetera was turning into quite the flirt and was gushing over Alonzo. The tom didn't seem to care that Admetus obviously had it bad for _one _of the queens and was quite content to flirt with the both of them. Suddenly, he didn't want to be there anymore, the event was becoming far too social in his opinion and _also _in his opinion Jemima didn't very much want to be there, either.

"Do you want to go?" he whispered to her and she nodded, furiously.

"Will you come with me?" she asked in a small voice. Coricopat hesitated.

"I'm not much of a conversationalist."

"Neither am I." Jemima giggled in a low, hushed whisper.

She got up and waited for him to stand too. Nervously, Coricopat joined her and ignored the knowing winks from both Admetus and Alonzo. No doubt they wouldn't let the subject rest, later.

"Play nicely!" Alonzo yelled after them and laughed, arrogantly.

"Where do you suppose, their going, huh?" he continued in a low, conspiratorial whisper to Electra who smiled, wryly.

"It's Jemima. If he's expecting anything off her he's going to be _sorely _disappointed.

The two of them laughed but Etcetera and Admetus exchanged concerned glances. It was all very well to tease a friend- but quite another to joke the way Electra had.

* * *

He stuck to the sides of the alleys, never looking up. An old and tatty red scarf was wrapped around the lower half of his face and most cats that passed dismissed him as some sort of sea-cat on the way to the docks.

Then he rounded the infamous _Tiger's Alley_. It didn't look much- just a dead end with a few dustbins at the end of it. But it was far more than it seemed. It was in fact a magical barrier, to keep out pesky humans and Pollicles.

With one last wary look around, Mungojerrie jumped behind the bins and sank into the moulding wall.

He was greeted by a lonely square- more magic- from _hundreds _of years ago, he'd been told by a gypsy queen, once, who had claimed to have sold some of her jewels to Griddlebone- back in the day. Mungojerrie had been a kitten then- but the memory of Carbucketty Cove was forever imprinted on his mind.

He could hardly believe the lifeless place was the same place he had once grown up in. The streets had always been alive with an interesting host of cats. Gypsy cats that never stayed in one place for a very long time and stowed away on ships. They brought jewels from India and tales from Italy with them. Thieves like he had been, pirates and beggars and street entertainers and fortunetellers and then his favourite place of all… Sealegs. He passed through the foreign, lonely square. It was a slum for the desperate by day- and a hotspot of criminals and murderers by night. Much like it had been in the past really except one thing that permeated the air and seeped from the dens of all cats that lived there. Fear.

And one whispered name.

"_Macavity…" _

A ragged queen with smoky grey fur offered herself to him for his gloves- no doubt which she would exchange for food, looking far too frail to catch her own. Mungojerrie recognised the red ribbon around her neck and the garter round her leg. He walked towards her and she stiffened, ready to flee. When he was sure no one else but her could see him (not that he worried too much for Carbucketty Cove was usually dead at eleven thirty in the afternoon) he pulled down his scarf and revealed his face. Her green eyes widened and she threw her skinny arms around him.

"I thought I'd never see one of you damned cats again!" She cried and nuzzled his fur affectionately as he rubbed her back and purred soothingly.

"'Ow you been, Bells?" he asked smirking as she rolled her eyes and put her hands on her hips.

"I just begged you for your gloves." She hissed. "A few years back toms would have been _begging _me to take them, just so they could sit with me- half an hour or so."

"I know, doll." Mungojerrie replied, sadly, "Loki still knockin' around?"

"He's around." Bells deflated and tried to smooth her ragged grey fur, "but he can't take care of me no more than he can take care of himself. All that nip finally caught up with him I guess. I see Tugger in Sealegs most nights. He's gonna go the same way yano."

"I don't care much either way- our paths never really crossed, what with him being a… you know. And me working for… you know."

Bells shot him the ghost of her once charming smile, "lets go to Sealegs, huh? I'm sure _Val _will let us talk upstairs."

"I almost always nearly forget to call her that… it's always Ran to me," Mungojerrie laughed, quietly, as they made their way across the deserted square once more and into one of the many magic alleys that branched from it. The passed many dens and parlour-shops as they went. Many of the shops were boarded up, and Griddlebone's Seat, as it had been called because it was where Griddlebone used to sit and sing with the street performers was deserted. Mungojerrie never thought he would miss the whiny fiddle music that Irish cat had always used to play. But he did.

"I'd have thought you woulda changed you're name too, yano, hun." Said Bells as she came to a door with a ship and a curvaceous queen carved upon it. It was mainly built from old bits of wood- tied with string and patched with rags and bits of paper. Over the years a roof had been made out of bits of stolen blanket placed over wooden planks filched from the nearby shipyards and at night many strays sought sanctuary on it if there was nowhere else to sleep. "What with you working for you-know-who and all that… and after what _happened."_

A pair of suspicious blue eyes looked out through the door and then opened it. The black cat was huge and flexed his muscles in front of them.

"Password." He growled.

"Grumbuskin."

"Business?"

"'Ere to see Val," said Mungojerrie, smoothly and made his way past. It was actually painful to see Sealegs so desolate and lonely in the daytime. A bored white and red queen was wiping the makeshift counter with a rag. Six huge bottles of rum were placed in a row behind her and then behind that was a beaded curtain that led to a ladder. Once up the ladder there was a modest set of rooms and a safe for catnip. No one was allowed up there without Valkyrie's permission.

"'Old on a mo 'ere, doll," said Mungojerrie to Bells. She nodded and took a seat in the corner.

"Val," Mungojerrie approached the counter and the queen jumped and looked up. She was small and muscular with short, spiky head fur. Back in her pirate days as Growltiger's cabin kit and then navigator she had lost an eye in a dirty fight with the Siamese and had worn an eye patch ever since. Her one visible eye filled with warmth and affection and she jumped, nimbly, over the counter to hug him.

"Mungojerrie," her voice was rich and held a heavy, Norway accent. "It's been two weeks, since I last saw you! I've ad to be dealing with that Rum Tum Tugger all by myself."

She kissed him, sweetly and said in a low voice, "do you have any news of Plato? My son?"

"Me, you, n Bells, go upstairs, yeah?" Mungojerrie whispered back. "We can all talk then. I'm up for some reminiscin' if I'm honest, sweetheart."

"Mungojerrie? Honest? Ha!" Val spat playfully, "Romano!" The black tom from the entrance appeared. "Get Mikhail to man the bar and make sure none of _Macavity's _lot get in here. I'll _die _before I let one of those scumbags buy a drink from me."

Seeing Mungojerrie take off his scarf and throw it over one shoulder, Bells rushed forward and followed them behind the beaded curtain and up the ladder.

"So. Plato?" Said Val, picking up a bottle from one of the many crates that littered the room. She took a swig from it and passed it to Bells who copied.

"E's well." Mungojerrie shrugged. "Got a beautiful mate, if I might say so myself. Victoria. She don't ever leave the Junkyard though, so I doubt anyone's seen her. Pure white she is- just like Griddlebone was."

The three of them talked for hours. Of how Bells had met Bombalurina and Demeter and took them to Sealegs to reunite them with Rum Tum Tugger and of how Griddlebone chased Mungojerrie around the square for trying to steal her purse. They talked of the dancers and of the many escapades Rumpleteaser and he had- not once was his work for Macavity mentioned. The queens perhaps had not quite forgiven him but they were ready to forget.

"I would quite like to go back," Bells giggled- the oldest of the three. "To when I was a young queen and you were all kittens. This place had never been so beautiful then."

"We could restore it if someone was brave enough to take on "_The Hidden Paw"" _said Val, scathingly, with a mournful look in Mungojerrie's direction. "Instead of hiding away in a Junkyard-"

"Shut it." Was the calico tom's low warning- a growl coming from deep in his throat.

"Well it's true." Val got up angrily- not caring that Bells was there. "If you weren't so busy hiding away in the Junkyard- regretting your past then you and the other toms there probably could!"

"That's it, I'm leaving." He kissed Val roughly and moved away before she could lash out at him and gave Bell a sloppy, one-armed hug. Val was crying now but Mungojerrie was halfway through the room downstairs pulling his scarf on and making his way outside. Romano cracked his knuckles as he passed.

"Where've ya been, Jer?" said his sister as he finally collapsed in their den at home at three o'clock in the afternoon. She looked much the same as him- just a little younger; in fact she came of age this year. Her calico stripes were almost identical to his own.

"Just down by Carbucketty Cove." He sighed and let her stroke his head. He was tired after missing his usual nap at twelve and felt exhausted after his argument with Val… or Ran… or _whatever _she liked to be called now. "Bells sends her love."

Rumpleteaser giggled and snuggled next to him- she was pleased to see her brother and had been waiting for him since two in their den after finding him not to be in their owner's home in Victoria Grove. He smiled, feeling the warmth from his little sister- the apple of his eye- and slowly surrendered to sleep.

* * *

"I don't much like, Alonzo," explained Jemima as they walked, side-by-side. It was roughly eleven in morning, by human time and the sun was not yet at the highest point in the sky, meaning the day was deliciously cool and a soft breeze surrounded the junkyard.

Coricopat shrugged, noncommittally. "He was my first real friend here. But I can see why someone might find him a little… overbearing."

Jemima giggled and they walked on in companionable silence. Jemima blushed and murmured a thank you as he stopped and made way for her to go through the pipe first. She turned back to smile at him as he followed.

"Good morning, Jemima," Jemima froze at her name and looked up at a towering figure in front of her. Her father. He looked as intimidating as ever to her with his steely, grey fur and all-seeing, blue eyes. She wondered if he would scare off Coricopat, too.

"Good morning, Munkustrap," Coricopat bowed slightly and Jemima was surprised to see her father's stern, expression soften slightly.

"Good morning, Coricopat." He replied, in a surprisingly friendly tone that confused Jemima even more. Then again the only toms Munkustrap had ever really had a problem with around Jemima was The Rum Tum Tugger and Mungojerrie… which was understandable and Tumblebrutus, which wasn't.

"Mum was looking for you earlier," said Jemima, giving her father a small kiss on the cheek.

"Behave yourself, today, Jemima."

"Yes sir."

He disappeared through the pipe and Coricopat frowned as the little queen let out a huge sigh and relaxed. Why was she so tense around her father? They commented on silly things like Cassandra's old den and the weather as they passed and came to the broken bathtub Jemima had been sitting in yesterday when Tumblebrutus had struck up an impromptu game of 'Princess'. The two of them sat at a comfortable distance with one cat at each end of the bathtub. Jemima glanced over at him, shyly.

He asked her why she was so tense around Munkustrap.

"I mean… he's your father." He continued, looking down at his hands, "it's too personal a question, isn't it."

Then he leaned forwards and looked her in the eyes. He felt unusually bold around the soft, red-satin queen. "All I'm saying- is that it helps to talk… that's what people say, isn't it?"

His utter look of embarrassment made Jemima laugh and put her at ease. She nodded, "but you said you're not a talkative person, remember?"

"That's what you said, too."

"I find it strangely easy to talk to you," she looked up at him with an open expression in her soft, brown eyes. "Is that strange?"

She frowned as he swallowed and looked away. "a lot of people say it. You'd be surprised at how much I know." He was fighting off that dizzy urge to kiss her, again.

"It doesn't matter-" Jemima shrugged and smiled, shyly, "it really doesn't."

"If you say so."

He wondered what to talk about. She fascinated him. Coricopat had never talked to a queen on her own before. Except Bombalurina- who had told him to stop looking so down and dance at the Jellicle Ball. He smiled at the memory and the short conversation they had. She was a nice queen, really. Coricopat decided to make another stab at talking.

"So why don't you like Alonzo?"

Bad move. She stiffened again and blushed, not meeting his eyes. But then she looked over to him and shuffled closer.

"We kissed. At the ball." Jemima said in a little voice. "But it was all to get Cassandra- and he's been such an arrogant… _prat_," she went red with anger, "ever since." Then her hand clapped over her mouth. "But you musn't tell anyone! I'd die if anyone found out!"

Her frantic eyes searched, his calm, stoic face. "I won't." he promised.

"No…" Jemima replied, calming slightly. "I can tell you wouldn't. Thank you."

She seemed quite sad and Coricopat wondered if it had really just been a kiss between her and Alonzo or whether something else had happened. Perhaps they had some kind of romantic history?

Jemima began to talk about last years ball and Grizabella- how glad she was that the queen was chosen for the Heaviside Layer.

Coricopat found himself smiling again which was unusual for his stoic nature. "For a queen that doesn't talk much, you sure talk a lot."

She smiled, coyly. "I could say the same about you, Coricopat."

He found himself, awfully close to her now. She turned to him and smiled gratefully, "it's strange how quickly you can make a friend of someone, isn't it? I've only been talking with you an hour… including when you came over and started to talk to us. Strange how you were _'looking for Alonzo' _and then you up and leave when he comes, huh?"

Coricopat heard a tempting voice in his mind that commanded him to kiss her. And he did.

It lasted moments, but in that short time, the strange painful, spike of emotion that often wove through his ribs ever since he'd begun to grow apart from his sister, healed and was replaced with a sensual hush instead. Her lips were soft and warm against his, and he felt Jemima's hand on his forearm again. He pulled away and looked at her, cheeks warm.

He'd _never _done such a thing as that! In fact, there had only ever been one queen he had kissed before Jemima. And if Coricopat was honest, he couldn't really even remember her name.

"I'm sorry." He muttered, and drew back from her. Suddenly, he had the urge to tell her what he had seen in her mind on the night of the Jellicle Ball, but something stopped the words from forming in his throat.

"It's fine… I sort of… wanted you to anyway, I suppose." Jemima replied and, sat up properly, "but… I think we should remain friends for now. It's nice to have a friend."

Coricopat nodded.

"We are…" she hesitated, "we are going to be friends, now, aren't we?"

"I'd like that." He smiled and felt a warm feeling burst through his heart and rise up his neck.

Jemima gave him a sweet little grin; "Alonzo will probably have left Etcetera and the others by now. I should go back."

Coricopat smiled, sadly it seemed and Jemima suddenly leapt towards him with a rush of courage. She kissed him soundly on the lips. "Meet me tonight. Here. As soon as the sun sets."

Before the stunned tom had a moment to confirm it she fled, giggling madly.

He felt like he would go to the stars and back to reclaim that feeling again.

Slowly, Coricopat hopped out of the bathtub and stretched, wondering where Admetus would be, or if it was worth trying to catch up with his sister. He decided on the latter and began to make his way to his den- a large, broad shape stopped him. He looked up into the eyes of a white and brown patched tom. They had a largely unhappy expression in them made evident by the cat's solemn frown.

"Excuse me, please," said Coricopat, softly and tried to step out the way. The other tom grabbed his arm and pulled him back. Coricopat flattened his ears to his skull in warning.

"What do you want?"

"I saw you with Jemima" said Tumblebrutus and shrugged. He stuck out his paw, "may the best tom get her, yeah?"

Coricopat stared at the arm the strange tom had just offered and then into his solemn, brown eyes again. "Jemima is just a friend… your name?"

"Tumblebrutus."

"Coricopat." He replied in turn.

"I know. She didn't look like just a friend to me."

"Whatever you saw was a mistake on my part." Coricopat replied, coolly. He decided he did not like this tom. "Now if you'll excuse me."

The bigger tom curled his lips in a scowl and pushed past the lithe, slender tom. Coricopat was built like Mistofolees or perhaps The Rum Tum Tugger who relied on their magic or their charm to keep themselves out of trouble and danger. This tom… Tumblebrutus was built with brute strength- muscles rippled down his back and legs as Coricopat watched him walk away with an uneasy feeling in the pit of his stomach.

Had he just made an enemy?

He decided to go home and meditate on that thought- and perhaps confide in Tantomile… if she was there.

* * *

**So, what storyline is the most interesting so far? The possible affair of Tugger and Victoria? Plato's real mother and Mungojerrie's secret past? The love triangle that's forming between Tumblebrutus, Coricopat and an unsuspecting Jemima? **

**Still open to some pairing suggestions. Reviews greatly appreciated.**

**Ta for reading **

**-CheddarPixie.**


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